Agriculluml Capabilities of the New Forest. 211 
these beds and the Upper Bagshot Sands runs from a little south 
of Burley Beacon (which is capped by an outlier) to Holmsley 
Station, round VVilverley enclosure to Rhinefield Lodge, New 
Park, and to a point \h mile east of Lyndhurst, from which it 
bends eastward, and takes a tolerably straight course by Denny 
Lodge to Penerley, and thence in a north-easterly direction round 
Bcaulieu Heath. To the south of this line all the country to the 
coast is occupied by the Headon Beds. 
Speaking roughly, the area of the Forest may be said to be 
divided among these formations in the following proportions : — • 
Fluviomarine, or Headon Beds, one-third ; Upper Bagshot, one- 
fourth ; Barton, one-fourth ; Bracklesham and Lower Bagshot 
together, one-tenth. 
Lying alike upon parts of all the above formations is a sheet 
of fiint-gravel, which varies from 2 feet to 6 or 8 feet in thick- 
ness, and extends uniformly over the open plains and heatlis of 
the Forest. It covers a plateau of very irregular shape, which 
extends from the northern extremity of the Forest to Burley, 
and is spread over a succession of open heaths, stretching from 
Burley Beacon eastwards to the borders of Southampton Water. 
The gravel gives to the surface the same character, whatever 
the underlying stratum may be. The Headon Beds, consisting 
of clays and marls, afford some of the best land in the Forest; 
but over one-third of their area they are covered by gravel, on 
which barren heaths prevail, as about Beaulieu. 
About one-third of the Forest is covered with this gravel, and 
its extent has been shown on the accompanying map. There 
are, however, other superficial deposits scattered over the lower 
ground Avhich are not shown. They consist of gravel mixed 
with clay, marl, and loam, in different proportions and varying 
from a mere wash to several feet in thickness. Though they 
are but of partial occurrence, they often exercise an important 
influence on the character of the soil. The Upper Bagshot 
Sands generally afford a poor soil ; but where they are covered 
by these alluvial deposits, and watered by the numerous tributary 
streams of the Beaulieu River, some good land is found. 
With reference to the agricultural capabilities of the Forest., 
Mr. Spooner states, "I do not think that we should err very much 
in stating that one-third is incapable, at the present time, of pro- 
fitable tillage, although a part, or the whole, might be planted 
with larch and fir to some advantage. One-third may admit 
of cultivation by the aid of burning, draining (where required), 
and marling or chalking. The other third consists, for the most 
part, of land occupied by new or old plantations, or open forest, 
adapted for timber, and would supply the most profitable spots to 
be offered for sale, and might realise from 5?0Z. to 30/. per acre." 
VOL. vn. — S. S. K 
